When Camilla Richardson moved into her parents’ converted garage—a casita of about 150 square feet—after separating from her husband, she faced a common small-space dilemma: the bunk bed had to stay for future family visits, but the room still needed to feel comfortable and functional. Rather than resign herself to clutter, she decided to bring in a tiny home interior designer for guidance.
Starting With What Already Worked
Richardson sent photos and a video to Alex Pevtsova, a local interior designer, and braced for criticism. Instead, Pevtsova’s first observation was that the space was already quite functional—a response that put Richardson at ease and opened the door to discussing the real problems. Storage quickly emerged as the central issue. Richardson needed designated spots for her purse and keys, more shelving for clothes, a place for paperwork and filing, and somewhere to keep tools and gift-wrapping supplies that would otherwise end up in a junk drawer.
In a room that small, Pevtsova explained, cutting down on visual clutter matters greatly, which is why storage solutions deliver the most value.
A $600 Budget and a Trip to Ikea
Richardson had hoped to spend around $600 and worried her budget might seem laughable. Pevtsova, however, confidently recommended Ikea. Together they reviewed her needs and used the store’s planning software to design a wardrobe that would hold clothes and bags, with a waist-high shelf for work papers and organizers. Richardson liked that closing the doors would hide the mess. When asked about her visual preference, she mentioned light wood, and Pevtsova agreed it would help keep the room feeling brighter.
The planned Ikea wardrobe came to roughly $650 with the necessary shelving—more than the entire shopping budget. After further discussion, they found a comparable wardrobe on Amazon for $229.10 and a $120 cube storage unit with fabric bins, which Pevtsova approved via shared links later that day. Bathroom storage added $43.63, bringing the total for purchases to $392.73. The designer’s time—about two and a half hours including texts about the Amazon finds—cost $375 at her $150 hourly rate. All told, the mini redesign came to about $768.
Pevtsova pointed out that buying something on hope can become costly if it needs replacing within months. By helping Richardson pinpoint her needs first, she saved both time and money.
Assembly Required—and a Sense of Accomplishment
The budget-friendly Amazon route had its challenges. The delivery driver couldn’t get the heavy boxes to the porch, and Richardson couldn’t carry them either, so she opened them outside and brought the wooden pieces in one by one. Building the furniture was a first in many years, and she felt insecure about it—especially since her soon-to-be ex-husband is handy. The instructions were poor, but she persisted, partly to prove to herself she could figure it out. It took an entire Saturday, but she was proud when it was done. A few imperfections remain, but she likes how it looks in the space.
Once she started putting things away, she removed the awkward hanging cloth shelf and moved much of the clutter into the cube unit’s bins. There’s extra storage room on top of the wardrobe, and the space feels more open. Her mom also removed the grommets from the existing curtains and closed the holes at no cost—a change that blocks more light and looks better without the openings at the top.
Why a Designer Made Sense for a Small Job
Hiring a designer for such a small project might seem unnecessary, but Richardson needed help getting started in the tiny space. The room now works for what she needs, and organizing her belongings has brought a measure of peace during a chaotic time.